Looking for Relatives/Please help

[Nancy Merkousko]

I am a second generation American. My father and his father are both dead. There is very limited information, but I hope that someone will give me some insight. The information listed below was given to me, but I am not sure that the spelling is correct. Even our last name has been changed, and we do not know the correct spelling. As you can see, I have a puzzle for sure. So, any help will be much appreciated.

My grandfather-Boris Merkousko (Not correct spelling-changed in US)
State-Grbarne
City-Kobrinksy Urisd (Unrisd)
County-Wolost Dlulieloska
P. O. - Post Evenouow
Village-Wierevana Penuhne

I understand that most of the above words might be misspelled, so if you can make any sense of any of this, please try. We were raised to think that my grandfather was from Russia, they attended the Russian Orthodox church in Chicago. It seems that the area was really probably part of the Ukraine, but I have searched on line and have found no reference to any of those places. Well, if you are up for a challenge, this is a good one. Thanks for any help . Nancy

[Hannia]

Welcome Nancy,

Grandfather was Belarusyn. Your ancestral district,Kobrin, was/is very close to current Ukrainian border.
I am currently on another project. In the next few days I will provide you w/map and current address.

Turn of the century Kobrin > Grodno Gubernia > Czarist Russia

According to the legend Kobrin grew from a fishermen settlement located at the confluence of the
rivers Kobrinka and Mukhavets. It is suggested that the town was founded by an offspring of Izjaslav,
the prince of Kiev. In the 11-12th centuries Kobrin was included into the principality of Vladimir, and
in the 15th century it became the centre of the principality that was given the name of Kobrin. In 1794
the troops headed by Alexander Suvorov defeated general Serakovskiy’s corps and thus the lands and
the town became Russian again. In compliance with the Tsar edict the estate “Kobring spring” was
granted to the field-marshal forever. Later the general’s house turned into a museum. In July 1812 the
Russian army defeated Napoleon not far from Kobrin. In 1882 the Polesje railway crossed the town. In
1915 Kobrin was occupied by the German troops. From 1921 to 1939 Kobrin belonged to the Kobrin Povet
in the Polessje Voyevodstvo and was under the Polish rule. After the soviet authorities had gained the
power over the Western Belarus, the provincial Kobrin developed rapidly. This happened thanks to the
reconstruction of the Dnieper-Bug Canal. In 1939 the town was under the BSSR rule. From June 1941 to
July 1944 Kobrin was occupied by German fascist troops. 6.9 thousand people were killed in the town and
the district. In 1987 Kobrin celebrated its 700th anniversary.

[Hannia]

This is as far as I have gotten.

State-Grbarne = Grodno Gubernia

City-Kobrinksy Urisd (Unrisd) = Kobrinsky (Kobrin) uyezd

County-Wolost Dlulieloska??? (no R in Polish. R tranliterates as L.)

P. O. - Post Evenouow = post ofc Ivanov (Polish name was Janow)

Village- Wier evana??? Penuhne = WIES/village in Polish. Ivana P? or Janowska P?__________________________________________________

Gubernia was region or state, today oblast.

Uyezd was district in Russian Empire. Became raion during Soviet era.

Volost was traditional administrative subdivion of the uyezd. Volosts
& uyezds were abolished in 1923 - 1929 and combined into raions.
_____________________________________________________

Belorusyns have been ruled by many nations. For the five hundred years before
the 19th century Belarus had been controlled by the Lithuanian and the Polish states.
Through the partitions of Poland in the late 18th century, Russia took control of the
area. A new culture, a new language, and a new government were imposed upon the Belorusyn.

Was the coming of the Russians to the lands today known as Belarus an invasion of Polish lands,
a retaking of Russian lands, or simply the transfer of rule over the Belorussians? Today Belarus is a
separate state, but the question still remains, who are the Belorusyn, and who should have a claim
to their land? If the Belorusyn are simply Polonized Russians as some claim, then possibly they should
reunite with Russia. If they are Russified Poles, then they could reunite with Poland. However, if they
are distinct as Belorusyn they should maintain their sovereignty.

During the 18th century the lands of Poland were partitioned three times, culminating in the
disappearance of the Polish empire. The Russians occupied the eastern portion, including the
area today known as Belarus. Catherine II, the Tsarina of Russia, felt that she was returning
lands that Poland had taken from the Russian Empire centuries earlier. However, she found that
more than a military occupation was needed to make Belarus a part of the Russian Empire. She
found that the Belorusyn not only practiced a different religion and spoke a different language,
but also had a different historical memory. Over the course of the 19th century Russia tried to
alter these differences and make the Belorusyn into Belorussians.

During the 19th century the Russians attempted to assimilate the lands they had gained from the
partitions. The initial steps toward Russification were taken in the 1820's with continual increases
for the next hundred years. It’s ineffectiveness frustrated the tsars and strengthened the Belorusyn
resolve. In a way the efforts to assimilate the Belorusyn actually contributed to their own national
development. The more pressure the Russians applied, the more the Belorusyn strove to keep their
culture alive.

Unrest was almost constant in Belarus during the 19th century. Two of the major periods of unrest
were known as “the 1830-31 insurrection” and “the 1863 uprising.” The 1830-31 insurrection began
among the Poles and spread to the Belorusyn. It was crushed easily be the Russian army. After the
insurrection the tsar lost trust in the Belorusyn and took harsh steps to Russify the area, and
guarantee the loyalty of the people.

The 1863 uprising also started among the Poles and spread to Belorusyn lands. Kastus Kalinovski,
a writer known for his revolutionary views, became the leader in Belarus. Many fierce battles were
fought, but in the end the Russians prevailed again, leading to harsh punishments of the rebels.
The uprising however, did start a wave of national awakening throughout Belarus that the Russians
could not stop.

Besides the feelings the 1863 uprising had brought, the nationalistic ideas of the French revolution
were finally taking root among Belorusyn. Outside of Belarus the national awakening was hardly
noticeable, but to Belorusyn intellectuals it was of momentous proportions. There were a number
of writers who either began to translate or compose stories, poems, and plays into the Belorusyn
language. Vincent Dunin-Marcinkievic was one of the prominent writers who helped show the
capacity of the Belorusyn language as a literary medium.

The national awakening led to demands for independence from Russia. For a short time during the
Russian civil war in 1918 the Belorussians were able to create their own state. However the Bolsheviks
took over the country and renamed it the Belorussian Socialist Soviet Republic. Thus Russian imperialism
was replaced by Soviet imperialism.

Ukrainians and Belarusyns are brothers. We are both descended from the Ancient Eastern Slav Tribes.

[Nancy Merkousko]

Thank you so very much for all the information. It is amazing that you were able to figure out those places. I appreciate all your help, and look forward to hearing from you again. Do you have any clues about the last name? Thanks Nancy

[Hannia]

Nancy,

I am almost done.

Was Grandfather born in 1928 & died in 2002 or was that your Father?

A copy of Father's baptismal certificate might prove to be invaluable.

Who was Lawrence?

Any idea when Grandfather immigrated to States? Did he come thru
Canada and enter via Detroit?
____________________________________________________________

Anyone w/family coming from this region, could easily be confused.
Dateline below might be helpful to your research.

The Great Lithuanian Principality, Grodno region: Second half of the 13th century:

1568 - Rech Pospolitaya (Polish Principality and Lithuanian principality united)

1795 - Grodno was in Russian Empire.

1796 - Grodno was the center of Lithuanian Guberniya (Litovskaya Guberniya), Russian Empire.

1801 - Grodno was the center of Grodnenskaya Guberniya, Russian Empire.

September 3, 1915 – Grodno was occupied by German troops

March 25 1918 - Grodno was in the Belorussian National Republic.

1919 - Grodno was in Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.

April 27, 1919 - Grodno was given to Burzhuaznaya Polsha (Poland).

July 19, 1920 - Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.

1921 – Grodno was given to Panjska Polsha (Poland)

September 1939 - Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.

1941 - German occupation

1944 - Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic

1990 - Republic of Belarus
_______________________________________________________________

This is not written in stone, but I am pretty sure
selo/village Pnyukhi is the name of your ancestral village.

It was merged to the village of PSYSHCHEVO (coordinates 52.17=25.20) after WW2???
The region had been devastated by the madness. Today it is still in the Ivanovski raion>
Brestkaya (Brest) Volblast > Belarus. Need to obtain zip code for you.

Brest Region, Map #6
Brest Region, Map #6

Bare w/me a little longer and I will get back to you w/more.

[Nancy Merkousko]

Hannia-thanks so much for the information. Yes, it is confusing. I found out that my grandfather did come through Ellis Island, but I checked those records and found no mention of him. So, I am speculating that the last name must be very different. Since you stated that the village was predominately Jewish, makes me wonder if he changed his name completely to get out of there before the Germans came in and killed everyone there. Let's assume that my grandfather's last name is some resemblance of the American version Merkousko. It is a place to start anyway. He was born on July 26, l889 and died in Chicago in l959. My father was born in the US in l928. When you have time, I would appreciate you help. If you charge a fee, please let me know. Nancy

[Nancy Merkousko]

I pulled out some information about my paternal grandmother-maybe it will help us find out about my grandfather-
My paternal grandmother was Agafiya Nikiteva Pelis born April 4, 1892 probably Volyn District of Vladimir, Volost of Skobelka, village of Zvinyacheye. The Merkousko might be Merkovsky-but I can find no record of either grandfather or grandmother in the Ellis Island records. My grandfather might be from Kobryn County, Grodno District with is now Byelorussia. How can I find out more? Thanks to everyone who might read this and can offer insight or help.